The passenger in the car he was driving died during a crash, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

PINELLAS COUNTY – A St. Petersburg man has been accused of DUI manslaughter after a Monday (Dec. 12) traffic crash killed his passenger, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Melissa M. Hutchinson, 23, of Spring Hill, died at the scene, troopers said.

Samuel (Samual) T. Thibodeau, 22, of 3653 Beach Drive SE in St. Petersburg, was charged with one count of DUI manslaughter, they said. He was taken to Bayfront Health with minor injuries. He was not wearing a seat belt.

The crash happened about 9 p.m. on southbound I-275 at I-375. Troopers said Thibodeau was on I-275 approaching the I-375 interchange when he started to lose control of the 2000 Cadillac SLS he was driving and started into the center land. Thibodeau overcompensated when he tried to get the car back into the inside lane. He lost control of the Cadillac, which spun and went onto the paved shoulder where it collided with the guardrail on the east side of the roadway. When the Cadillac hit the guardrail, troopers said it overturned, went over the guardrail and ended up on the inside grass shoulder.

For information about the Florida Highway Patrol, go to flhsmv.gov.

Florida Highway Patrol | Melissa M. Hutchinson | DUI Manslaughter | Arrests | TB Reporter

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